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13 Essentials for a Modern + Sophisticated Holiday Look

By: Brian Patrick Flynn

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So your everyday style is distinctly modern but you love lots of holiday decorations. What do you do? Keep these design tips in mind to create a holiday look that's simple and clean, yet warm and inviting.

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Adding Christmas to Your Everyday Decor

How do you transform your sleek and modern home into a Winter Wonderland? It's simple! Create a sophisticated holiday look on top of your everyday decor. Follow these 13 tips to get the look in your own home.

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Classic, Modern Lines

To prevent your holiday decor from looking overdone, select a few simple elements and go all in. You'll end up with a look that's more streamlined and elegant. Steal This Look >>

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Neutral Color Scheme

Keep your overall palette neutral, from your tree, gift wrap and decorations to the room's accessories. This keeps the environment feeling calm and sophisticated and cuts down on visual clutter. Get Our Top Seasonal Color Picks >>

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Modern Woodland Tree

The natural textures, wood tones and overall color scheme are understated and warm. You don’t have to be sparse with ornaments; just make sure that you consider how they play together, and keep the size and spacing a bit random for a balanced look.

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Moravian Star

Large in scale, this unique shape with clean lines is a show-stopper. It’s the classic star with a modern spin.

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Vintage-Inspired Ornaments

There’s something distinctly modern about vintage-inspired ornaments. Their simplicity and beauty always hold up over time. Add a few that are oversized. They make a bold statement and instantly give the tree a sleek look.

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Clever Vignettes

Create little moments around the home that make it clear you’re celebrating the season. Just a few gifts displayed on a console or side table can set the tone of the room.

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Dark Floral

This mix of flowers in a shade of deep crimson take your standard holiday red and green arrangement to an all new level of sophistication. Add a few sprigs of wintry evergreens into the mix to keep it seasonal.

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Repurposed Cake Stand

Rethink how you use your servingware. This sparkly cake stand is the perfect showcase for pretty ornaments.

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Playful Vibe

Use your imagination to inject a little humor and playfulness into your existing decor.

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Sculptural Elements

Play with sculptural elements and unique shapes. This wire star becomes more festive with unique greenery and winter berries added into the mix.

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Flocked Branches

An antique lantern is elevated to a clever vessel when modern flocked branches are placed inside.

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Red, White + Black Place Settings

This color combination is forever modern. The mix of textures gives this clean, simple place setting a chic, sophisticated feel.

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Simple Floral

Less is more, and that goes for your arrangements, too. Just a few simple, quality blooms can go a long way when placed in a sleek vase.

13 Essentials for a Modern + Sophisticated Holiday Look

Adding Christmas to Your Everyday Decor

Classic, Modern Lines

Neutral Color Scheme

Modern Woodland Tree

Moravian Star

Vintage-Inspired Ornaments

Clever Vignettes

Dark Floral

Repurposed Cake Stand

Playful Vibe

Sculptural Elements

Flocked Branches

Red, White + Black Place Settings

Simple Floral

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